HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — There are questions swirling about if it's safe for pregnant women to get the coronavirus vaccine. Doctors say the answer in most cases is "yes."
Doctors say pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding and thinking of getting pregnant can get vaccinated.
However, today the World Health Organization advised against pregnant women specifically receiving the Moderna vaccine.
Doctors say pregnant women weren't initially included in the trials.
"If you look at the overall risk benefit ratio between getting the vaccine and not getting the vaccine, I would say most women in health care providers and obstetricians are recommending vaccination mainly because the risk of getting sick and effecting both the mother and the fetus is fairly significant," says Dr. Warner Huh, M.D, UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Doctors believe in the coming weeks and months, health experts will revisit exactly where pregnant women would be categorized in the vaccine rollout plan.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a plethora of information on how to protect yourself and other from the coronavirus.
The virus can easily spread from person to person, so the CDC recommends you stay at least 6-feet apart from people not in your household. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breaths or talks, according to the CDC. Because of this, the CDC recommends you wear a cloth facemask when around others and in public.
Additionally, the CDC recommends that you frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Symptoms to look out for include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, a sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC.
Click here to find more COVID-19 information from the CDC.
If you suspect you have the coronavirus, you should seek out testing and self-quarantine.
Click here to find more COVID-19 information from the Alabama Department of Public Health.